Indus Scrolls English
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • International
    • Regional
    • Sports
    • Science
    • Environment
  • Opinion
  • Culture
    • Temples
    • Ayurveda
    • Art
    • Festivals
    • Books
    • Astrology
    • Literature
    • History
  • Religion
    • Our Gurus
    • Hinduism
    • Islam
    • Christianity
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Yoga
    • Fashion
    • Travel
    • Cuisine
  • Technology
  • Entertainment
  • Economy
  • Video
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • International
    • Regional
    • Sports
    • Science
    • Environment
  • Opinion
  • Culture
    • Temples
    • Ayurveda
    • Art
    • Festivals
    • Books
    • Astrology
    • Literature
    • History
  • Religion
    • Our Gurus
    • Hinduism
    • Islam
    • Christianity
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Yoga
    • Fashion
    • Travel
    • Cuisine
  • Technology
  • Entertainment
  • Economy
  • Video
No Result
View All Result
Indus Scrolls English
No Result
View All Result
Home Culture History

Vedic Indians excelled in alchemy

Gaurav Mandal by Gaurav Mandal
December 5, 2017
in History
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterWhatsAppTelegram

Marxist historian DN Jha, in an interview to a newspaper, said, “there is no science in the Vedas”. More than his lack of knowledge about the Vedas and India’s rich tradition of alchemy, the statement betrays his deep ideological biases which always seek to show ancient Hindus and Hinduism in poor light. Left historians and intellectuals have always been reluctant to acknowledge the profound contributions of the Hindus of old in the fields of philosophy, alchemy, medicine, mathematics, including astronomy, arithmetic, algebra, trigonometry and geometry. Moreover, there has been a concerted effort to devalue the contributions of Hindus in various fields.
For instance, although ancient Indians have contributed immensely to the growth of chemistry, no university in India has a book prescribed for students which makes a fair assessment of ancient Indians’ contributions.
In India, chemistry has evolved as a “handmaid of medicine” and later on as an “adjunct of the Tantric cult”, states Dr PC Ray, legendary Chemist, in his book A History of Hindu Chemistry.

The Rig Veda eulogizes the twin gods of healing Aswins, who fitted an iron limb on Vispala whose leg was cut off in a conflict.
The many gods in the Rig Veda are personifications of elements and natural phenomena. While Tulsi plant having many medicinal values is regarded as mother, herbs endowed with potent and active properties have been given status of gods. The scriptures extol the magic powers of Soma rasa which has “conferred immortality to the gods”.

Ancient rishis were aware of the therapeutic qualities of the preparations made out of plants. The plant apamarga, which is used in the preparations of medicines, is invoked as the “mistress of remedies”.
The Atharva Veda has slokas explaining the qualities and advantages of using pearl, gold and lead. This shows that people in the Vedic period had alchemical notions about gold and lead.

The science of alchemy witnessed much development since Charaka’s period, about 1000 years after the Atharv Veda. Charaka, in his medical treatise, regards Ayurveda as an upanga (subsidiary) of Atharv Veda. In the treatises of Charaka and Sushruta, there are descriptions about minerals and natural salts being used in the medicines. Buddhist monks also contributed greatly to the growth of alchemy. Many treatises like Rasarnava, Rasartna samuchaya, etc. were written by Buddhist scholars.
Certain European scholars, like the Leftists of today, were keen to show that all Hindu treatises were of recent origin and Indian scholars were influenced by Greeks, despite mounting evidence.
Al-Baruni, well-versed in Arabic, Greek, astronomy and alchemy, who visited India in the XI century has written extensively about Indians’ proficiency in chemistry. He says: “The adepts in this art try to keep it concealed, and shrink back from intercourse with those who do not belong to them. Therefore, I have not been able to learn from the Hindus which methods they follow in this science and what element they principally use, whether a mineral or an animal or a vegetable one. I only heard them speaking of the process of sublimation, of calcination, of analysis and of the waxing of talc, which they call in their language “talaka”, and so I guess that they incline towards the mineralogical method of alchemy. …They have a science similar to alchemy which is quite peculiar to them. They call it Rasayana, a word composed with rasa, i.e, gold (rasa actually means mercury).”

Author

  • Gaurav Mandal
    Gaurav Mandal

    View all posts

ShareTweetSendShare

Related News

Kumaran Asan – Swami Vivekananda’s Keralite Disciple
History

Kumaran Asan – Swami Vivekananda’s Keralite Disciple

This is how India conquered China in the past without ever having to send a single soldier across the border
History

This is how India conquered China in the past without ever having to send a single soldier across the border

The Less Told Story of a Great War: The Lesser Known Facts about the War of Colachel
History

The Less Told Story of a Great War: The Lesser Known Facts about the War of Colachel

Chanakya: The Timeless Financial Analyst
History

Chanakya: The Timeless Financial Analyst

kashmiri pandits
History

THE EVER BURNING TALES OF INDIA: Article by Dr. Sarojadevi K

Velu Thampi Dalawa: The Insurmountable Lionheart of Travancore
History

Velu Thampi Dalawa: The Insurmountable Lionheart of Travancore

Discussion about this post

Thanks to controversy; Kerala Finance Department halts issue of order granting salary arrears of 8.5 lakhs to communist leader Chintha Jerome

Accommodation in resort for 2 years, rent 8000 per day: Shocking details of extravagance of controversial communist leader and Youth Commission Chairperson Chintha Jerome  

Following Puttur Marikamba temple, more Karnataka temple fairs and festivals prohibit Muslim traders from doing business

22 years teaching with fake degree; Kerala teacher Faisal dismissed from service

Khalistan militants behind the attack on Buddhist temple in Australia? 

Khalistan militants behind the attack on Buddhist temple in Australia? 

Delhi violence: SC rebukes police, refuses to entertain pleas on violence

After Adhila-Noora, another Malayali lesbian couple takes legal path to live together, SC stay HC proceedings

Are you incapable of handling data of people as minimum of 2 lakh people? Kerala High Court lashes out at govt

Don’t treat court’s patience as weakness, Kerala HC warns government

Indian Naval Ship Airavat reaches Port Sudan as part of ‘Mission Sagar-II’

Indian Navy creates history: Light combat aircraft makes maiden landing on INS Vikrant

Even after 40 years, no women congress MPs from Kerala

Fuel cess looting people: Youth Congress in Kerala protests by burning bike

Pinarayi Vijayan has lost moral right to continue as Chief Minister: Former Kerala CM Oommen Chandy

Amid controversy over his treatment, former Kerala CM Oommen Chandy hospitalised again

Kerala’s Kozhikode reports shigella infection again, health dept starts preventive measures

Food poisoning in Mangaluru hostel; 137 nursing and paramedical students hospitalised 

SHOCKING: Cattle Smugglers Brutally Rape 10-Year-Old Girl in Up; 3 Arrested

Transgender gets 7 years imprisonment and fine for sexually assaulting minor in Kerala

  • Support Us
  • Our Projects
  • Our Mission
  • Contact Us

©Copyright Indus Scrolls. Tech-enabled by Ananthapuri Technologies

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • International
    • Regional
    • Sports
    • Science
    • Environment
  • Opinion
  • Culture
    • Temples
    • Ayurveda
    • Art
    • Festivals
    • Books
    • Astrology
    • Literature
    • History
  • Religion
    • Our Gurus
    • Hinduism
    • Islam
    • Christianity
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Yoga
    • Fashion
    • Travel
    • Cuisine
  • Technology
  • Entertainment
  • Economy
  • Video

©Copyright Indus Scrolls. Tech-enabled by Ananthapuri Technologies